In these challenging times for education in Northern Ireland, Ballymena Academy continues to provide a first-class educational experience for all our young people.
Sadly, our ability to carry on doing so comes under increasingly intense financial pressure every year.
Funding
All schools in Northern Ireland have made repeated requests for an increase in funding from central Government but to no avail. Our children are already disadvantaged compared to their counterparts in England.
We currently receive over £1,000 less per pupil, which, in a school the size of Ballymena Academy, is in the order of £1.2m less than a school of equivalent size in England.
We receive over £1,000 less per pupil.
Approx. £1.2m less than a school of equivalent size in England.
Potential Impact
This is unsustainable and the harsh reality is that, unless we obtain our own additional funding from alternative sources, the broad co-curricular activities and subjects that we offer will have to be significantly curtailed.
Ballymena Academy without Saturday sport, the Spring Concert, our Drama Productions, the Annual Talent Show and our many varied after-school clubs and societies, hardly bears thinking about. These activities are the very essence of what makes our school what it is – far more than just a place for academic learning.
Make A Difference
The BA Foundation is a fund established to help our dedicated staff continue to offer the educational experience that previous generations benefited from and accepted as a given.
We know that many former pupils of our school and their parents have fond memories of their time here and we hope our friends and alumni will support our efforts to keep providing an enriched education that is still free for everyone, regardless of background.
Please help us to maintain excellence by supporting the BA Foundation scheme - "Give Your Year".
How is the school funded?
We are funded by an annual budget allocation from the Department of Education which covers things like teachers’ salaries, heating and lighting costs and general maintenance – all of the essential costs involved in running a school.
Like every school in in Northern Ireland, this budget allocation comes under increased pressure year on year.
Government Funded
Annual budget allocation from Dept. of Education
Teacher's Salaries
Maintenance
Utilities
Self-Funded
Comprised of the Compulsory School Fee, Enrichment Fee, Donations & Sponsorship
Extra Subjects
Music
Creative Arts
Sports
Transport
Clubs & Societies
School Trips
All of the additional activities & opportunities that the school currently offers are not funded by the Department of Education.
“We believe that an education is about far more than just the achievement of academic excellence.”
From the fantastic music and drama productions that we stage, to the invaluable charitable work the pupils undertake in our local community and the sports activities we offer, these are the things that we believe make the school what it is and produce rounded and accomplished young adults.
Will you support the pupils?
Help us maintain excellence
Parents
Increasing the percentage of parents who pay the Enrichment Fee will go a significant way to alleviating the financial pressures faced by the school.
Enrichment FeeAlumni & Friends
If you'd like to support the school in continuing to offer the enhanced educational experience that you or your children benefited from, you can make a donation, however small to our Give Your Year campaign, by clicking here.
Give Your YearBusinesses
If you're a local business, and looking new opportunities to advertise to a new audience, please contact our Marketing and Alumni Manager to arrange a meeting.
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